Arguably the most active thermal reserve in the Rotorua area, the 50 acres of Hell's Gate hiss and bubble with steaming fumaroles and boiling mud pools. Among the attractions here is the Kakahi Falls, reputedly the largest hot waterfall in the southern hemisphere, where, according to legend, Maori warriors bathed their wounds after battle. Warm mud pools are available for public bathing; at the Wai Ora Spa, you can soak in a mud bath or try a mirimiri, a traditional Maori massage. Spas and mud treatments cost $70-$230.
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